Incesto_mother_and_daughter_veronica -

A long pause. Then: “I’ll come next week.”

Lorraine’s hands paused over the napkins. For a moment, something flickered across her face—not anger, but something rawer. Fear, maybe. Or the particular loneliness of a woman who had built her identity around keeping a family together, only to discover that “together” meant nothing if everyone inside it was breaking. incesto_mother_and_daughter_veronica

Danny sat on the couch, knees pulled to his chest, looking smaller than his thirty-two years. He hadn’t spoken since Emma arrived. Their older sister, Tessa, was conspicuously absent—she’d sent a text that morning: “Sorry, kids’ soccer. Tell Mom I love her.” The kind of non-excuse that was really a weapon. A long pause

“You say it every time. Without saying it.” Fear, maybe

Emma sat down across from her mother. “I’m not getting back with Mark.”